Love and Understanding
by CompassionAndCaring
Summary: Sam is a therapist who works at home so he can take care of his autistic brother Dean. His newest client Castiel Milton, who also has autism, has an older brother Gabriel. The four meet and romance and friendship ensues. Sabriel and epic Dean/Cas friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my second SPN fic and I really like the idea for it. Review please! I also apologize for any inaccuracies in this fic. I did research on autism and made sure that I wasn't being horrible about it. I also had a friend with autism and I remember how he was really sweet and I remember how his carer had him go throughout his day. But let's get on with this story! **

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Working from home was hard, keeping business and personal life separate in order to remain professional. And for Sam Winchester, that was even harder. He worked as a therapist in a small but nice home tucked away in the outskirts of town. But his other job was taking care of his older brother Dean, who was born with autism.

As much as Sam loved his brother till the end of the Earth, Dean could be a real handful. Full of childlike qualities and needs, he was sometimes hard to keep up with. Tantrums were a rare thing now, much to Sam's relief. But Dean still sometimes had his bad days.

Today so far was a bit rocky.

"Come on, Dean. You need to get dressed, you can't stay in your pjs all day," Sam said firmly.

Dean made his face form into a pout, "No." Sam sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. He really wished that he hadn't let Dean wear his favorite Batman pajamas last night because now he'd never want to get out of them.

"You can't stay in your pjs forever, Dean."

Dean made a face and curled his body a bit, "Yes I can." He shuffled onto his bed piled with blankets and sat on it, nestling in to the blankets for comfort and pouting even more than before. Tucking his knees up to his chest, Dean rocked back and forth.

"Please, Dean. For me. For Sammy," Sam pleaded. A new client was coming tomorrow, and Sam was already stressing over it. He knew that he was a good therapist, being recommended by many people, just he was always nervous when it came to new patients. What if they didn't like him? What if he couldn't help them with their problems? All these questions filtered through Sam's mind.

He really loved helping people, he'd taken care of Dean their whole childhood, making sure he got to his classes even though they never shared them, protecting him from those who didn't have anything better to do than laugh at, taunt, or make his life miserable. Sam wanted to help those with problems that they couldn't solve on their own.

Standing up, Dean hugged himself and rocked back and forth slowly before nodding, "Okay...for Sammy!" Sam smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Dean grinned and ran to Sam for a hug.

After changing Dean into a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, Sam made them breakfast. Dean's routine went like this: wake up, go to the bathroom and shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, go outside, lunch, bathroom, a nap, free time, dinner, reading, and then bedtime. Simple and effective.

"Hey, bud. What do you want for breakfast?" Sam asked, turning his head to see Dean bouncing lightly up and down in his chair.

"...Pancakes!" he shouted, before remembering to use his inside voice and whispered not so quietly, "Pancakes."

Sam smiled, glad that his brother remembered be only loud (if anything) outside. Dean was good whenever Sam and him went out for groceries and things like that. He sometimes helped Sam pick out things they needed and was always nice and polite to people. He still had problems with hugging people at random or asking questions a lot. But he was getting better.

"Okay, Dean. Pancakes comin' up." Dean cheered and Sam hummed to himself as he made breakfast for the two of them. As Sam made breakfast, he thought about the call he got the other day about his newest patient. The person on the phone was named Gabriel Milton, and he called to see if his younger brother Castiel could have an appointment.

Apparently Castiel also had autism like Dean, and his last therapist wasn't very nice, so Gabriel decided to get a new one. Sam agreed and they scheduled it for Thursday at 1:00 in the afternoon. Gabriel thanked him profusely and they exchanged their goodbyes and hung up.

Sam was excited that he had a new client, someone new and maybe he would introduce Castiel to Dean. Maybe having a friend would be good for the both of them. Dean didn't get to meet many people and maybe having a friend would help Castiel.

Finishing the pancakes and putting them onto plates, Sam cut Dean's into smaller pieces and covered them in maple syrup. Dean giggled to himself and smiled brightly, and said cheerily, "Thanks, Sammy." Sam planted a kiss on Dean's hair and they both started to eat.

Wiping Dean's sticky face with a napkin, Sam started to tell him about his new patient tomorrow and how he'd be busy in the afternoon for a bit. At first Dean looked like he was going to have a tantrum, because he hated being away from Sam. But then after a bit Sam reassured him that Dean would be taking a nap and that Sam would still be in the house, with him.

"Ok, Sammy. I'll be takin' my nap while you're gone and you can help the new person," Dean stated firmly, nodding his head as he did so.

Sam smiled and felt a sense of relief that Dean was okay with him being away from him for a bit, "Good job, bud. Now let's go outside and play. Sound good?" He knew Dean would be more than happy to go outside, he just loved to hear him cheer and laugh whenever he ran around the yard.

"Yeah! Put I gotta put on my shoes first," Dean said, his voice slightly pinched with energy. Sam laughed and said, "Okay, I'll be waiting outside."

Heading out the back door out their house, Sam was glad the weather was beautiful. The air was slightly chilly but otherwise cool, the sky was a bright blue and the sun was shining. He thought this was a good sign, that tomorrow would be even better. Breathing a big gulp of fresh air, his stresses went away and he felt a million times better. Hearing Dean run out the door and laughing to himself, Sam started to slowly run and tackle his big brother, earning a fit of giggles and a huge grin in return.

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**I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Gabriel and Castiel will be introduced next chapter, and I plan on making Castiel the sweetest person ever. And Gabriel will be awesome too, as always. I hope you are liking this story so far and feel free to critique this story and tell me your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or its characters.**

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Tucking Dean in with a large gray Batman blanket, Sam smiled fondly at his brother who was taking a peaceful nap on his bed. It took a while for him to finally fall asleep, Dean was excited and was practically jumping off the walls. All day he talked about his new friend Cas and Sammy's new friend Gabe. Sam only replied with a roll of the eyes and a smirk.

Closing the door of Dean's bedroom with a soft _click_, Sam walked quickly to the living room that also was his office in a way. Two plush couches sat across from each other with a coffee table in the middle, the room held a cozy and comforting atmosphere. With its large windows and light green walls, the place also looked open.

Fixing the sofa cushions so that they were straight, Sam tried to make everything seem perfect. After a few minutes of cleaning and changing into a nicer shirt and pants, he finally heard a quiet knock at the door. Taking a few breaths to calm himself, Sam reached for the doorknob and opened it.

And he almost fell when he felt a pair of surprisingly strong arms wrap themselves tightly around his waist. It took a bit for Sam to realize what was happening, it happened so fast. He saw a blur of tan and then he felt the wind being knocked out of him. Except he didn't fall down thankfully, just stumbled a few feet.

Sam looked down from his towering height, some of the shock from being _hugged _so quickly and so abruptly wearing off. A pair of electric blue eyes met Sam's hazel ones and the person hugging him so tightly he almost _couldn't breathe_ smiled at him sweetly.

"Cas, aren't you going to say hi?" someone said softly, almost motherly, and Sam glanced up to see a slightly shorter man with light brown hair and brilliant amber eyes. _Gabriel, _Sam thought and they both exchanged awkward but otherwise pleasant smiles. Castiel looked down and almost nuzzled his face into Sam's shirt.

"...Sorry...hello...I'm Cas," he mumbled into Sam's shirt. Sam smiled and rubbed Cas' back in small circles, secretly glad that he seemed to like physical contact. Many people with autism didn't like to be touched, but it seemed Castiel was the exact opposite.

"Hi, Cas. I'm Sam, who's that?" he asked, deciding that it'd be better for Cas to introduce them instead of Sam himself. Finally letting go of Sam, Cas went quickly over to Gabriel still standing the door way and grabbed his hand, tugging him into the room. Brushing past them, Sam closed the door behind them and smiled to himself, glad that so far his patient seemed to like him.

Letting go of Gabriel's hand and instead starting to fidget with the sleeve of his trench coat, Castiel cast his eyes onto the floor, "This is my brother Gabriel...he takes care of me. Can I sit on the couch? It looks soft and squishy and comfy and...and I don't know what else." He looked almost ashamed that he forgot what else to say and Sam gave him a sad smile. Gabriel patted Cas' back and whispered small words of comfort to him.

Sam walked slowly over to Cas, "Of course you can." Cas perked up immediately and grinned widely. Giving Sam another bone-crushing hug, he ran over to the couch and threw himself onto it. He seemed to almost sink into the couch and Sam and Gabriel stared at each other for a few minutes before bursting into laughter. Castiel didn't seem to notice them, and just grabbed a throw pillow and wrapped his arms around it, smushing his face into it and smiling.

"Sorry for him grabbing onto you like that. He really likes to give people hugs and whatnot. He's pretty shy around people though, so him giving you a hug was surprising in the least. Also been acting kinda sad lately and he won't tell me why. I tried to get his last therapist to help him and see what was wrong, but they weren't..."

"Very good?" Sam inquired. Gabriel nodded, a small irritated frown etched on his face, "Yeah...I got to go. I'll be back around three. I'm sorry, but I think it'll be better that you talk to him on your own than with me there. He likes to be independent...even though that can't happen much. Thanks for taking him. It's nice to see

"No problem." Gabriel gave Sam a small smile and before he headed out the door, Sam could have sworn he threw him _a wink. _But the door closed before he could react.

Heading to the couch, Sam sat across from Castiel and tried to seem as non-threatening and welcoming as possible. Cas gave him another sweet smile.

"So, Cas. How's your day been so far?" To start off the session, Sam decided to just ask Castiel regular questions, like how his day was, how he's feeling, if anything new was happening, and more importantly if anything was bothering him. Sam also took into considered that since Castiel probably wouldn't be able to fully process everything that Sam would be asking him. And that he might not be able to fully communicate what he was feeling.

Cas screwed up his face in concentration for a few minutes, "Me and Gabriel went for ice cream today before we came here and I got strawberry and he got cookie dough. And I spilled some of mine and I got upset but Gabriel told me it was okay so then I was okay. Before that I watched TV and ate breakfast...then...then after that...I don't remember. I'm sorry." Curling himself a bit, Cas tugged a corner of the throw pillow, upset that he couldn't remember what else to say.

"It's okay. Everyone forgets sometimes." Castiel sat up straighter, happy that someone told him it was okay. Sam made a mental note that in the future he should teach Cas ways for remembering things. Sam was about to ask Castiel how he's been feeling lately when he heard a door open in the hallway. Tucking his knees up to his chest, Cas tried to make himself smaller.

Dean entered the living room, looking for Sam. He remembered that Sam wasn't going to leave him, but he didn't know where he went. Seeing Sam and someone else in the living room together, Dean instantly recognized him as his friend Cas.

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**Thank you for the follows everyone! Next chapter Dean and Cas get to know each other and become fast friends. Dean doesn't really know Cas, he just calls Castiel his friend. Review please! The reason for two chapters in one day was because I was on a writing spree today and couldn't help it. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews and fav/follows! It really means a lot to me. I'm really glad that you guys are liking this story! The beginning of this chapter is Dean's POV then it'll switch to Sam's like usual. Warnings for bullying in Dean's POV. **

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Grinning like mad at seeing his friend Cas, Dean ran over to him and hugged him tightly. He felt Cas stiffen at his touch and worried for a minute if he had done something wrong. People didn't like Dean when he did something wrong, except Sammy. They laughed and pointed at him and it made him feel bad. Like last week Sammy and him were at the store, and Dean fell over because he tripped on his feet.

Sammy was in another aisle picking out ice cream, and Dean wanted to look at the Legos so he promised Sammy that he'd be good and stay put until he came back. A bunch of people saw him and started laughing at him, calling him a 'retard' and mean things like that. Dean didn't know what that word meant, but he knew it was something bad.

It hurt real bad, so he curled up in a ball and started crying. He wanted Sammy, so he called for him. Because Sammy always made Dean feel better and would make the mean people go away.

Sammy came right after Dean called for him, and held Dean and told him it was going to be okay. Sammy never lied to Dean so he believed him and stopped crying after a bit. Sammy saw the mean people laughing at him and told them to go away and to go find something better to do. The mean people left and Sammy helped Dean up and hugged him, telling him that those people didn't know how amazing he really was and just picked on him because they were jealous of how awesome he was. Like Batman.

So while he was hugging Cas, he remembered what happened at the store and was scared that Cas wouldn't like him anymore and they wouldn't be friends anymore. And Dean really wanted a friend. They could go outside together and watch TV and eat pie together. Dean wondered if Cas liked pie as much as he did, which was a lot.

But Cas eventually hugged him back, and Dean smiled and giggled to himself. That made Cas laugh too and for a bit, they were just hugging and laughing. Dean looked up and saw Sammy, who was smiling and looked really happy. So that made Dean's mood even better. Today so far was awesome.

***Sam's POV***

As much as he knew that this would interrupt Castiel's session with him, he really didn't care. Watching his older brother embrace Castiel and them laughing and hugging each other, made Sam feel amazing. For their whole lives Sam always protected Dean from bullies and Dean never made a friend until now. And if Sam had to guess, it was probably the same thing for Cas, always being picked on or pitied. And never having a friend.

But now seeing that these two were going to be great friends already, Sam felt a million times better about helping Cas with what was making him feel down recently. Like Gabriel told him. And he knew this would mess up Dean's routine, but he assured himself that Dean wouldn't care right now. Routines didn't matter to him in this.

Eventually the two pulled apart and just stood smiling at each other. Sam didn't want to interfere with them meeting, so he just stood there, watching with a dumb grin on his face. He thought it would be best to let the two do this on their own. Instead of Sam pulling the mother role and making them say something to each other.

"Hi. I'm Dean, it rhymes with 'bean' except I don't like those," Dean chirped. And Cas nodded and smiled sweetly, he started staring down at the floor shyly. "...Hello, Dean. I'm...Cas," he mumbled.

Dean perked up and started bouncing lightly up and down, "I know! Sammy told me that you're Cas. Do you want to be friends?" Castiel looked up at Dean and looked surprised and blinked at him a few times.

"...Okay. I've never...had a friend before." Dean gave him a small smile and said, "That's okay! I've never had a friend before either. Want to go outside? We can play hide and seek or something." Cas smiled wider this time and nodded so hard Sam was afraid that he'd make himself sick. Dean giggled to himself and put on his shoes with a little bit of difficulty Castiel didn't seem bothered by that.

Grabbing Cas' hand, Dean pulled him to the back door and led him outside. Dean turned around and called to Sam, "Sammy! Aren't you comin'?" Sam laughed and called back, "Wait a second! Be careful out there you two!" Running to the back door and going out into the backyard, he saw Castiel covering his eyes with his hands and counting. Sam spotted Dean hiding behind a too small tree and laughing, trying to cover his mouth with his palm in order to muffle it.

Deciding to play along, Sam hid behind a bush and waited for Castiel to find him. Cas found Dean first and they started arguing playfully that Cas was cheating. Dean thought no one could see him and thought out loud that Cas was a good seeker. Sam couldn't help but laugh, and soon enough, Dean found Sam behind the bushes and told him that he won.

Even though Sam didn't find out what was bothering Castiel today, there was always the next sessions. He thought that getting to know him and Dean becoming fast friends with Cas would help him come out of his shell and tell him. It would just take time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the lovely responses to last chapter! I really appreciate it. Also special thanks to the guest that reviewed last chapter, your review had me smiling for hours. :) But anyway, let's get on with the story!**

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After playing outside for a while, Dean and Castiel laid on the grass exhausted. They couldn't remember the last time they had so much fun. Starting to really like each other, neither wanted it to end. Having a friend was an amazing thing to them, someone to play with and talk to. As much as they loved their brothers to death, they wanted a friend, someone new.

They played hide and seek, tag, and raced each other to the farthest tree without being so far away Sam couldn't see them. Sam only played hide and seek with the two. After that, he sat on the bench in the backyard and decided to make mental notes of how Cas seemed to function and react to things.

_Becomes nervous and almost scared when he forgets something._

_Loves hugging people._

_Becomes fidgety and shy. _

_Forgets things often. _

_Has taken a huge liking to me and Dean already._

_Is very attached to Gabriel. _

He may not have figured out why Castiel seemed to be feeling down recently, but it was a start. To be honest, Sam didn't know what could have made him upset, he seemed like the happiest person on Earth sometimes by what Sam has seen. Maybe it was just the fact he forgets things often. Or maybe he was just feeling sad for no particular reason at all.

And besides, you can't solve someone's problems sometimes in just one day. Sam knew better than try to rush things that were important like this. He really wanted to help Castiel, he seemed like a really sweet guy and deserved to be happy.

In Sam's opinion, everyone does.

Cas also was a lot like Dean in some ways, wanting people to be happy and was scared of upsetting people. Having childish needs and interests was also another similarity between the two. The only difference so far was that Dean was very energetic and wasn't afraid of talking. Castiel was more calm and was nervous around people. Apart from the fact he had a tendency to hug people. Sam also decided that he should tell Cas that he should ask people, many people liked to be hug...just many also didn't like having their personal space invaded. And they probably wouldn't understand that Cas didn't mean to bother them, just didn't consider it.

Checking his watch, Sam was surprised that it was only 2 o' clock in the afternoon. Gabriel wasn't coming back for another hour. Deciding that he might as well try to really have a session, he strode over to the two men laying on the ground, eyes closed and tired smiles on their faces. Shaking his head with a smile on his face, he poked Dean in the stomach. Opening his eyes, a fit of giggles erupted from Dean when he saw who was poking him. Cas started to laugh too, and soon a poking war started.

"Ow!" Dean laughed, "That hurts, Cas!" After a few more minutes of the playful fight, Sam told them that they had to go back inside. At first Dean looked like he was going to have a fit, crossing his arms in front of his chest and pouting, but he calmed down after Castiel agreed. They headed back into the house and they all sat on the couches in the living room. Castiel seemed to remember why he was here in the first place, and asked, "Are you going to ask me questions again?" He didn't seem worried, just curious.

"Yeah, Cas. Is that okay with you? We don't have to if you don't want to," Sam reassured. Dean sat next to Cas for comfort, he knew that he wasn't supposed to be here, but Sammy seemed okay with it. Besides, Cas was their friend.

Castiel nodded. And Sam smiled and patted him gently on the back, he sat himself on the couch across from Cas and Dean. Sam decided instead that he might as well get straight to the point and ask Castiel what was bothering him lately. Sam was sure that Cas would become uncomfortable if he asked to many questions, so he decided not to.

"So, Cas...Gabriel told me that you've been feeling sad lately. Could you tell me why?" Cas looked down at the floor and tucked his knees to his chest. Dean looked concerned and gave Castiel a small hug.

Leaning into Dean a bit, Cas finally spoke, "...Gabriel's been lonely lately...and I don't like it when he is. So I guess that's why...my last therapy person wasn't very good either. And Gabriel got mad a lot...not at me though." Sam frowned, and felt sorry for Castiel. Not being able to do anything in that type of situation would probably make anyone upset. Dean probably felt the same way whenever he was upset.

"Do you know why Gabriel might be lonely, Cas?" Sam asked softly, not wanting to push it too far.

Castiel shrugged, "...I don't know. He hasn't had a boyfriend in a long time. Have you?" Cas looked up at Sam with a curious look in his eyes, and Sam almost choked on his own breath. Feeling his face turn red, and Dean starting to laugh, Sam tried to look as nonchalant as possible.

"...Um...no. No, I haven't, Cas." And that was the truth, Sam hadn't met a guy in a long time. He was too busy with Dean and work to bother going out. Gabriel was pretty nice-looking, and he seemed nice. But Sam didn't know about dating his patient's older brother. It bad enough that he was being really unprofessional earlier, you weren't supposed to have a relationship, platonic or otherwise, with your clients.

Castiel blinked, "Oh. Does that mean you two could date each other? I think he'd like you. You're nice, Sam." Dean grinned widely and nodded, "Yeah, Sammy!"

Sam felt like he was going to catch on fire.

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**Next chapter Gabriel will be in. This fic is supposed to be rather light, so that's why I didn't have the reason why Castiel seemed upset lately to be really tragic and whatnot. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :]**


	5. Chapter 5

**Warnings of past bullying in this chapter!**

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After slowly dying of embarrassment, Sam praised himself for finding out Castiel's problem and also Dean now having a friend. At first, Sam didn't expect the reason to Cas' sadness was him just being worried about Gabriel. He originally thought it was something...almost tragic. Like he was remembering something from a while ago and it just made him miserable. Or maybe it was just lypophrenia: a feeling of sadness without a cause.

Since Cas seemed to forget things often, maybe the only things he'd really remember were upsetting things. But thankfully that wasn't the case, Castiel seemed like a really happy and nice person, though a bit shy. Sam kinda thought that was sweet...fretting over your older brother because he's been lonely.

It sort of reminded Sam of Dean and himself. When they were kids, Sam would always worrying about Dean finding a friend or someone to make sure he was alright. He wanted his brother to be happy. During school, Sam always kept a close eye on Dean, even though they didn't take the same classes. He sat with Sam and his friends during lunch if they went to the same school, since Dean was four grades ahead of Sam.

Sam would always make sure that Dean knew where to go and how his schedule worked, because if he didn't Dean probably wouldn't know where to go and would wander the hallways or accidentally go to the wrong room. Protecting Dean from the bullies who seemed to never have anything better to do but call Dean a 'retard' or push him around was also a daily occurrence. Sam was practically a mother hen. Not that it was a bad thing, going to school would have been hell for Dean if Sam wasn't there for him.

A loud knock at the door pulled Sam out of his thoughts and Dean jumped off the couch to go answer the door. Castiel also launched himself off the couch and stood behind Dean who was trying to turn the doorknob. Sam was about to help him when he finally got it opened. It was Gabriel, who looked relaxed and somewhat sly. _Maybe this is what he's always like, _Sam thought.

Dean instantly started to talk, never missing a beat to tell Gabriel, "Hi! I'm Dean, who are you? Are you Cas' brother? I'm Sammy's brother." He started to bounce up and down again, and Sam put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. It worked eventually, after Castiel flung himself at Gabriel and hugged the dear life out of him.

Gabriel smiled at both of them, "Hey, Dean-o. I'm Gabriel." Dean giggled at Gabriel's nickname for him, and Sam couldn't help but throw Gabriel an appreciative grin. He returned it, and Sam could have sworn his cheeks flushed pink just a bit.

Gabriel looked down at Castiel, who was still hugging him. "So, Castiel...do you like Sam and Dean?" Cas nodded excitedly, and Gabriel couldn't help but laugh, "Well, that's awesome. I do too." He patted Cas' back and Castiel let Gabriel out of his embrace.

Closing the door behind him, Gabriel pulled Sam aside to the far end of the room. Dean and Cas didn't seem to notice. They were jumping up and down, seeing who could touch the ceiling the most. Laughter erupted from both of them, and Sam felt his heart swell.

"So, Sam. Did Castiel tell you what's been making him feel down in the dumps lately?" Gabriel asked. Sam almost felt embarrassed and nervous that he was going to tell Gabriel what Cas told him. It seemed somewhat...awkward to tell someone who you've just met that they've seemed lonely lately.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah. He did. He said that...you seemed lonely lately. That you haven't met anyone recently." An unsettling silence built between them, and Sam wished that he could have taken that back. He liked Gabriel, and he didn't want to spoil any friendship that might have been forming between the two. Or maybe Sam was just assuming that.

Gabriel looked away, and shifted his feet slightly. Appearing uncomfortable and uneasy, he cleared his throat, his face turning a mild shade of red.

"Oh...well, that's better than him being upset over something worse than that. He shouldn't worry about me. Thanks, Sammy." The uncomfortable air between them faded away, leaving both of them comfortable in each other's presence.

Sam gave Gabriel a small smile, "No, problem. I think Cas and Dean are glad they made a friend, they seem to really like each other." They both regard the two men in front of them now playing tic-tac-toe on a piece of paper, legs crossed and sitting across from each other on the couch. Giving their brothers sad smiles that they didn't see, Gabriel and Sam walked over to them.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Castiel and Dean looked up and grinned widely at their siblings. Dean stared up at Gabriel and a mischievous smile spread across his face, "Are you and Sammy going to date each other? Cas and me think you should. And you two can...leave us here and we'll be good. We promise, right Cas?" Castiel nodded and went back to putting his O on the tic-tac-toe board, winning the game with three in a row. He clapped his hands in excitement and Dean turned around to see, and saw that he lost. He groaned in annoyance and everyone around him laughed.

But Dean repeated what he said, making Gabriel and Sam had no choice but to answer. Sure, they both found each other attractive and seemed to get along, but who knows? Gabriel smirked slyly and Sam felt as if the room's temperature rose about a million degrees.

"Dean-o, you promise that you'll take care of my baby brother?" Gabriel asked, clearly knowing the answer would be a definite 'yes'. Dean nodded so hard Sam was afraid he'd make himself sick, and Dean cheered loudly.

Sam smiled shyly, "Then I guess it wouldn't be too bad then." Gabriel smiled, looking pleased with himself. He was starting to really like this giant.

"How about Friday...at seven? My place? We can just have a few drinks or something. And these two can stay here and hang out. Sound good?" Gabriel wondered, trying to mask his nervousness with confidence and charm like usual. Sam nodded and grinned, dimples showing completely and Gabriel thought he was about to die right then and there.

After spending an hour or so just talking, Gabriel decided to take Castiel home. Dean's expression was on the verge of pure sadness, and his mouth formed into a pout. But he then remembered that Cas was coming back on Friday, and they could spend their time together. Castiel gave both Sam and Dean a hug before giving Dean a second hug.

"Bye, Cas. I'll miss you," Dean mumbled sadly.

"Bye, Dean. I'll miss you too," Castiel replied miserably.

After finally pulling away from each other, Cas tugged on Gabriel's hand and pulled him to the front door. Both exchanging smiles, Sam and Gabriel waved goodbye to each other, Gabriel also throwing a wink in Sam's direction. After the door closed behind them, both Winchester brothers couldn't wait till Friday.

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I thought it was a bit boring, but it was also necessary for the plot. The date will be in two parts, one part being Sam and Gabriel. And the other being for Dean and Castiel. Each being separate chapters of course. Review please! **


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm sorry for the long wait! I had to do a bunch of stuff that just piled up. This chapter is a bit long because it has a bunch of stuff in it. But anyways, thank you for all the sweet reception to last chapter! I really loved it. And also, happy Valentine's Day! I hope you have a lovely day! :)**

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The Date Part 1: Sam and Gabriel

Friday came along quickly, and before he knew it, Sam was crossing it off on the calendar that morning. Dean had circled it over and over with a blue marker, so most of the little square saying 'Friday November 14th' was mostly gone. Dean had also written 'When Cas and me can hang out' on it too, and it covered the next Friday on the calendar too.

So after brushing his teeth twice, and making sure his hair was combed and looked decent, Sam finally thought he was ready to go. He had changed his shirts about four times, even though it was all plaid shirts. He just liked the feeling and look of flannel plaid shirts, it wasn't his fault his wardrobe didn't consist of much. Or at least that's what Sam told himself.

Dean was sitting quietly on the couch, playing a game of Pac-Man on Sam's phone. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a Batman t-shirt that Sam had gotten him for Christmas last year. He seemed to be winning the game, looking pleased with himself and yelling excitedly whenever he had killed a ghost. Sometimes Sam could hear him curse at the screen whenever he had lost, making Sam call to him telling him to watch his language. A 'Sorry!' was yelled back and everything turned back to loud cheering and the sound of Sam brushing his teeth _again. _

Hey, if the date got rather intimate...who knew? You wouldn't want bad breath, would you?

Sam didn't usually kiss on the first date, unless sparks really flew. But that wasn't often. He liked Gabriel a lot too, and having bad-smelling breath would probably be a huge turn off. He hadn't been on a date in a long time, at least several months. Life just got in the way and being social just wasn't a priority for Sam. He had his work and Dean, and sometimes that's all he needed. But he realized that couldn't be the case forever and that he'd have to find someone eventually.

Hearing a pair of footsteps walk over to bathroom, Sam finally looked away from the mirror and turned around to see Dean standing in the hallway frowning. Putting the hair comb down, Sam gave Dean a worried look.

"What's up, Dean?" Sam asked warily.

Dean pouted, "Quit combing your hair for the millionth time, you're not Rapunzel, you're Sammy. You look great." Sam smiled thankfully at Dean, and glanced at the clock hanging in the hallway and saw that it was seven. A nervous feeling sunk into the pit of his stomach, and all hopes of possibly looking cool and confident drained away.

Hearing a knock at the door, Sam sluggishly trudged to the front door, resulting in Dean putting his hands on Sam's back and pushing him there. Protesting and fighting back weakly, Sam gave up and decided that the sooner he opens the door the sooner this would be done. Dean threw himself onto the couch, waiting for Cas to arrive.

Opening the door, Sam took a deep breath and immediately regretted existing. The same whirlwind of tan lunged at him and eventually let go before he could understand what just happened. Sam heard a muffled "Hello, Sam." in his shirt and gave Castiel a warm smile.

"Hi, Cas. It's a good thing you're here, I don't think Dean could have handled me any longer," Sam joked, he felt a tiny smile come from Castiel once he said that and Cas finally let go. Glancing nervously at Sam, Castiel walked over to the tiny couch where Dean sat and wrapped his arms around Dean's side. Dean looked surprised at first, losing his concentration on his game quickly. But Dean turned to look at Cas and grinned widely.

After giving Dean the same bone-crushing hug, they sat on the couch together watching Dean continue to play Pac-Man. Cas sometimes pointed out what Dean was doing wrong, and showed him how to avoid the ghosts and get the most power pellets. Dean stared at Castiel impressed, and did exactly what he said and cheering whenever he won, after thanking Cas.

Looking away from the two sitting close together on the couch cushions, Sam finally looked up at Gabriel standing in the doorway with a confident smirk on his face and amber eyes shining. He looked the exact opposite of Sam: short, lighter hair, odd colored eyes, and confidence oozing from him. But of course that only made Sam more uneasy, thinking he looked horrible when in fact he didn't.

"Hey, Sam. You ready?" Gabriel asked playfully. Sam gulped and eventually nodded, heading to the doorway and outside, both brothers turned to say goodbye to their siblings sitting on the couch engrossed in Dean's game.

"Bye, Castiel. And Dean-o, I expect you to keep an eye on my little brother," Gabriel said to Dean with a fake heat in his tone. Looking up from his game, Dean blinked at Gabriel, processing what he had said before nodding happily. Cas peered up to see what Dean was nodding about before jumping off the couch and hugging Sam and Gabriel once more.

Dean frowned slightly and his expression turned slightly angry, "I expect the same from you." Sam couldn't help but smile and laugh a bit. Dean was just as much as a mother hen over Sam as he was over Dean.

Still hugging Castiel, a small laugh bubbled from Gabriel, and Sam felt his heart swell. Both pairs waved to each other. Saying goodbye to Dean and Castiel and deciding not to take his phone since they both seemed to have so much fun with it, Sam finally went out the door and outside with Gabriel.

The stars were peeking out from the inky sky and everything seemed a muddled mess of shadows. Heading to Gabriel's car, a shiny red Cadillac that only seemed to just barely surpass the shine that the '67 Chevy Impala that Dean and Sam's dad gave to them a long time ago.

Dean loved that car, calling her 'Baby' sometimes. Sam thought fondly how Dean would not like that Gabriel's car shone slightly brighter than his.

After heading into the car and driving off, Gabriel and Sam entered an easy conversation about work and their own lives. It turned out that Gabriel had recently started working at a bakery two towns over that was now currently booming in business. He made the chocolates and candies, and often got into trouble with his boss for eating them. Telling Sam he couldn't help it, Sam rolled his eyes.

Finally arriving at a small, two-storey house with fresh white paint and red shutters. It looked homely and quaint, with a medium-sized backyard and freshly mowed grass. Exiting the car and ambling into the house, both men exchanged small smiles. Light poured from the windows and yellow squares appeared on the grass.

_So far everything's going good,_ thought Sam, _try not to screw it up. _

Gabriel opened the door widely for Sam, a more dramatic gesture than romantic. But it still made Sam feel better about the whole situation, Gabriel seemed to take a liking to him...and that was good.

Gabriel led Sam to the living room, a large open room with many windows and dark furniture. Pictures of what looked like Gabriel's family lined the walls and a large screen TV also hung on the back wall. The whole room looked spacious and almost looming, as if waiting for something.

Almost appearing out of nowhere, Gabriel handed Sam a beer and they seated themselves on the couch, turning on the TV for some background noise.

"So, Sam. Tell me a bit about yourself," Gabriel smirked, looking mischievous and seeming to enjoy himself. Sam felt his face burn a bit, all of a sudden the room becoming smaller and the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach coming back again. He gulped down a bit of his drink, hoping the alcohol would make it go away.

"Um...w-well, I like books and read quite a bit. And unlike you I actually eat healthy junk. I went to Stanford and...that's all I can really say. I'm not really that interesting," Sam added, wondering if he should just drink till he couldn't anymore. But throwing up and being hung over wouldn't be a good experience.

Gabriel's sly smirk grew, "I highly doubt that Sammy. So you're a bookworm huh? Castiel is too, all he does is read. Not that it's a bad thing, that way I can do what ever I want usually, he can take care of himself. I'm sure Dean-o can be a bit of a handful too." Sam smiled slightly, glad for the change of subject...Sam wasn't one that liked being the center of attention.

Sam shrugged, taking another sip of his beer, "Sometimes. Dean can usually stay calm, and with Cas around I think he's been better actually. Well, he gets super excited whenever you even say the name 'Cas'. But I think they're good for each other." Gabriel nodded, clearly agreeing. He was glad Castiel made a friend, being the overprotective older brother can be exhausting.

They fell into another easy conversation about meaningless nothings, both silently agreeing that they should do this again. Gabriel liked how Sam took care of his older brother and never seemed to complain about it, and also that he just seemed like a really good person. And Sam admired Gabriel's sense of humor and confidence...also that really deep down he was somewhat fragile...just liked covering it up with a mask.

Swallowing some of his drink and eating his way through a bag of candy that he seemed to pull out from somewhere, Gabriel said, "I like you, Sammy. You take care of your brother well, somehow maintain perfect hair, and you're freakin' downright adorable." A blush creeped itself over Sam's cheeks and he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He liked Gabriel too, just didn't expect that to come out.

Having nothing else to do and a sudden rush of emotion taking over, Sam took Gabriel's face in his hands and pressed his mouth against his. Gabriel's breath smelled like candy and alcohol, but it wasn't bad...just sticky and sweet. Gabriel tensed a bit at first, undoubtedly shocked by the sudden kiss. But he relaxed after a bit. All the nervousness in Sam seemed to drain away and he felt more alive and happy then he had in a really long time.

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**I hope the kiss wasn't too abrupt...I just felt like it might as well happen now. Next chapter is Dean and Castiel's part. And that will be from Dean's POV. Review please and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm so, so sorry for the long wait! I really have no excuses for it other than finishing I'll Try to Help You, and if anything school junk. This is in Dean's POV, explaining why the words are rather simple or there are run-on sentences. I don't really plan on making this a Destiel story and Sabriel story as much as just Sabriel. I can make it either light/slash-goggles or pre-slash I don't know. Tell me what you'd like in the comments session! Also warnings for some more past bullying in this! **

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The Date Part 2: Dean and Castiel

After playing Pac-Man for a bit, Dean watched cartoons with Cas, laughing at some of the funny parts or getting distracted by something. At first it took Dean a bit to use the remote, because his hands wouldn't work right and he'd push the wrong buttons. But Cas helped him and it worked. At first Dean felt embarrassed that he couldn't use the remote right but Cas told him it was okay so it was. Sam told him once that Cas was 'autistic' like Dean was, so they'd get along real well and understand each other a lot. Dean liked that, he could tell him everything. Hell, having a friend at all was great.

_Cas is an awesome friend, _Dean thought happily to himself for the fifth time that night. Earlier Cas wanted to go outside but Dean told him that it was too dark out so they couldn't, Cas look sad at first and Dean was going to cave and say okay, but he knew if he did Sammy would get angry at him.

"Hey, Cas. How come your eyes are so blue?" Dean asked while they were sitting on the floor in front of the TV, playing with Dean's Legos. Dean was making a tower while Cas was making a car. It wasn't until Dean asked the question that he realized that it was a bit rude. Sammy always told him to not be rude to people, but Dean really wanted to know why Cas' eyes were so blue. Sure Dean had seen lots of people with blue eyes but Cas' were the bluest he had ever seen.

Cas looked up from his partially built car and shrugged, "I don't really know, Dean. They just are. How come your eyes are..." he tilted his head and squinted, "green?" Dean shrugged his shoulders too, not really knowing the answer either.

The lights flickered, and Cas yelped, tucking his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth. Dean didn't know what to do, the lights didn't scare him at all. They did that sometimes and he was used to it. But Cas clearly wasn't, he looked startled and frightened, azure eyes darting back and forth. Dean felt his heart tug at the sight of his friend, so he leaned over the pile of Legos carefully, making sure not to tip over his tower or mess up Cas' car, and gave his best friend a hug.

"Cas, don't be sad. The lights are okay, they just go all flicker-y sometimes. It's okay," Dean whispered, making sure to pat Cas' back for extra comfort. Sometimes Sammy did that when Dean was upset and it made him feel better so he was hopeful that it would make Cas better.

After a few minutes, Cas seemed to calm down and squirmed out of Dean's embrace, not liking being pitied, even though deep down he knew that Dean wasn't pitying him as much as just making sure he was alright. Both of them went back to building their constructions, smiling at each other every so often. A comfortable silence filled the air, but it was okay, since neither Dean nor Castiel seemed bothered by it.

A moment later, Cas broke the silence, wringing his hands as he spoke, "Thank you, Dean...I'm sorry...for the...the..." he couldn't remember what to call what just happened. An outburst? Fit? He didn't know and forgot.

Dean perked up, "It's okay! You're my friend, and friends help each other," scrunching up his face in concentration, he added, "more like best friend, though."

Cas couldn't help but grin, he had never had a friend before. During his school days, he was picked on by all the other students. His awkward personality didn't help at all, and since his disability in the student's eyes made him different, and so making friends was impossible. Gabriel was almost always there for Castiel, but since he was two grades above Castiel, there was only so much he could do.

All Castiel really remembered from school was huddling in the corner of a room, trying to make himself smaller while the teacher never did anything at all and people whispered and chattered around him.

And most of the time about him.

Dean thought his tower was coming along awesome-ly. Wait, is that a word? Dean shrugged, oh well. He carefully picked all the gray pieces to make the tower look like a real one. He couldn't wait to show it to Sammy, he'd probably like it too. Towers were really big, but Dean knew that he didn't have enough pieces to make a huge tower, but enough to make a decent-sized one.

Looking at Cas' car, Dean thought it looked really cool. He put tires on it and everything. Even the weird orange and yellows legos for lights. He was impressed, and was going to tell him but didn't know what to really say. Turning around to look at the clock, Dean saw that Sammy and Gabriel would be back in an hour. He wondered what they were doing. Maybe just talking...or something else.

_He better be nice to Sammy, _Dean thought with a bit of anger. Sammy was his little brother, and Dean always made sure he was alright. But Gabriel seemed nice and cool, so Dean knew that Sammy would have a good time. It's been a while since Sammy met someone. His relationships never went too well, since his boyfriends didn't usually like Dean or his 'problem' as they used to like to call it. But Sammy would get angry at them and tell them that Dean was more important.

As much as Dean knew that people shouldn't be mean, let alone to Sammy and himself, Dean sometimes thought he was a burden. He was the reason that Sammy didn't meet many men, and Dean felt bad. But Sammy told him once that he was never a burden and that one day someone nice and perfect would come along.

Dean smiled, _Maybe that's Gabriel._

An hour passed and a knock on the door pulled both Dean and Castiel out of their concentration, Dean had finished his tower and now was making a flag to put on top of it. And Cas was making a road for his car.

Getting up off the floor, Dean answered the door and saw Sammy and Gabriel. Their faces were slightly red from the drinking that they did and Dean noticed some kind of small bruise on Sammy's neck. Dean narrowed his eyes at it, wondering what exactly it was. Sammy noticed and quickly turned up his collar so Dean couldn't see it. But nonetheless Dean giggled with delight at his little brother and hugged him. He smelled like candy and alcohol.

Cas got up off the floor too, and ran over to hug Gabriel, who seemed a bit out of it.

Sam grinned widely, seeing the lego tower and car on the floor. He was glad that Dean and Castiel had a good time by the looks of it, and knew they were becoming fast friends.

"So, Dean. Did you and Cas have a good time?" Dean nodded erratically, "Yeah! We played Pac-Man and watched cartoons and...played with my Legos! Can we do this again sometimes? You and Gabe can do whatever and me and Cas can stay here!" Still hugging Gabriel, Castiel nodded, agreeing whole-heartedly with Dean's idea.

Exchanging goodbyes, and for Gabriel and Sam, a few kisses, the Miltons left and Dean stood in the living room bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Sammy and Gabriel said that he and Cas could hang out on Sunday, and maybe play outside. He couldn't wait to show Cas the bird's nest he found in one of the trees.

Sam put a hand on Dean's shoulder, hoping to calm him down. Today made him really energetic and excited, and Sam now dreaded having to get Dean into bed. He expected Dean to refuse to go to bed, saying he wasn't sleepy. It was a half and hour past his usual bedtime, and if Sam didn't get him into bed now, he probably wouldn't be able to for a long time.

"Come on, Dean. You gotta go to bed," he ordered firmly. Surprisingly, Dean nodded with a wild grin on his face, "Okay!" and ran for his bedroom, now waiting for Sammy to read to him and help him into his pj's.

Now standing bewildered in the middle of the living room, Sam wished that it was usually that easy. He made a mental note to himself to invite Gabriel and Cas more often. Dean could be happy with Castiel and Sam could have Gabriel all to himself.

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**I don't really know if I enjoyed writing this chapter as much, in my opinion I thought my writing was a bit slopy and whatnot. But anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

******42 followers! Holy cow! I never expected for this story to get so much reception at all, and wow...thank you so much. I love you guys. Also, thank you MidnightWolf191 for your review regarding on the level of Destiel I should put in this story, it was very helpful. This chapter isn't much but some brotherly love and whatnot. I haven't really developed a plot for this story so this is mostly just a filler. Anyways, let's get on with this, I hope you'll enjoy it, and review if you can!**

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"Dean, you gotta go to the store with me, you know you can't stay home alone..." Running a hand through his hair, Sam frowned at his older brother who was currently throwing a small temper tantrum, sitting on his bed covered in a blanket unmoving, pretending Sam wasn't there. Hell, it could be worse, the tantrum could have been Dean thrashing and crying his eyes out.

He didn't understand why Dean didn't want to go shopping with him, he usually was more than happy to, picking out things for himself and Sam or going to look at toys and other things he liked. A trip to the store was long overdue, the fridge and cupboards having next to nothing inside.

Though sometimes all the sound from people chattering in the store, the overhead lights glaring, and electronics playing for advertisement would overstimulate Dean. And Sam hated having putting Dean through all that, especially when people stared and pointed, because they, in their minds, had no other way to react to it, and chose a demeaning way.

When Dean was overstimulated, whether it be from light or sound, he'd cover up his ears with his hands and screw his eyes shut to block out the intense light. He'd stand still like a statue and never move, so if it happened in a public area with lots of people, they'd have to go around him, and that didn't go well with some. There had been more than one occasion that Sam had to tell someone off when they pushed forcefully past Dean.

Then, Sam would then lead him to a quite place with dimmer lighting and if Sam had his Ipod with him, he'd take Dean's hands away from his ears and gently slip the headphones in. Playing 'Hey Jude', a song that their mom used to sing to them instead of a lullaby, would more often than not help the overload diminish. Dean always felt bad whenever that happened, saying "Sorry, Sammy..." afterward and feeling like a burden.

When in fact, he was never, ever a burden at all. And would never be, Sam made sure of that.

There wasn't another store for about fifty miles away from their house, so the Walmart only fifteen miles away was really the only choice. Sam had tried once to go farther away to find a smaller and more quiet store, but the ride irritated Dean and he grew restless. So that was out of the question.

But telling Dean about today's plans during breakfast that morning did not go too well...he started to whine and crossed his arms in front of his chest, progressively making his whining louder and louder, till it was almost a scream. Finally it stopped, and then Dean rose out of his chair and stomped to his room, staring at the floor head down. When Sam called for him to come back, he was only met with a loud "No!" in return.

And those were the events leading up to now, with Dean still underneath the covers. Sam rolled his eyes, knowing that even though it was hard for Dean, acting like this wouldn't make it any better. Only worse.

Sam huffed, "Dean, seriously. You need to go with me. There's no other choice." The only answer he received was what looked like a furious shake of a head and something that sound like 'can't make me'.

_Oh, yes I can,_ Sam thought, narrowing his eyes and running another hand through his long hair.

"Dean, if you don't go to the store with me, you can't see Cas tomorrow. I'll just tell him you haven't been listening to me. He'll understand."

That did it.

An audible gasp was heard and the blanket whipped back, revealing an awful-looking Dean, lip quivering slightly and eyes wide. Sam's heart felt a small tug, and as much as he felt like a terrible person for saying that, it was really the only way he was going to get Dean up and moving. Pressing his fists onto his eyes, Dean shook his head over and over till Sam was afraid that he would break his neck.

Putting his hands in his lap, Dean stood up,"Sammy, no! I'll go with you, just please don't tell Cas I've been listenin'. I just didn't wanna go 'cause last time all those people laughed at me when I fell and I felt bad. I don't people to laugh at me again because it hurts," he sounded absolutely miserable, his voice watery and soft.

Tears started to pinprick the backs of Sam's eyes, and he really felt like a horrible brother. He grabbed a hold of Dean and hugged him tightly, hoping to chase away all the heavy moods and thoughts he had been feeling. He loved his older brother, and wanted him to know that.

Sam smiled sadly, "It's okay, Dean. You'll be fine. I promise."

Nodding, Dean edged closer and wrapped his fingers around the fabric of Sam's shirt and didn't let go. He didn't want to.

Eventually they pulled apart, and Dean muttering playfully "No chick flick moments, Sammy.", Sam helped Dean out of his pj's into a sweater and jeans after both brothers brushed their teeth and washed hands. Getting on their jackets and shoes, they headed out into the mid November morning. Getting into the Impala, Sam made sure to bring his Ipod...just in case.

The whole store trip was great, Dean was perfectly fine, even rather cheery. He said hi to a lot of people, and all though he wasn't met with a lot of smiles and replies, people at least acknowledged him. And that was a win in Sam's book. The only mishap that they had been when a little kid was playing a shooting game on his DS, Dean grew a little excited and started to bounce up and down. But leading him away from the kid, Sam was able to calm him down.

Grabbing the grocery bags after paying at the cashier's and unloading them into the trunk, Sam thought it was time to head home, making sure to hide the small chocolate pie that he had bought behind Dean's back and tuck it away. He thought it was the least he could do for all the stuff that happened this morning.

"Come on, Sammy! Let's go."

Sam laughed, "Yeah, alright."

On the way home, Sam made sure to put in Dean's favorite Led Zeppelin cassette tape, as much as he was afraid that the loud music wasn't such a good idea, he was sure that it wouldn't hurt. A small squeal erupted from Dean and he immediately started to hum to the songs, sometimes would sing. He wasn't the best singer, and a few times Sam cringed a bit.

But either way it was perfect.


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